The word doesn’t personally bother me (unless used in a misogynistic way) because I was married to an Australian man. I understood the cultural differences in usage. But when he moved to the US, I had to caution him to tone it way down, as the word inflames passions here. It would not be received as he was used to.
I will add my support for @puzzlegal’s way of looking at it.
There is rarely a situation where only one word will do for a statement. This is a word that, while not strictly prohibited by our rules, is easily replaced with another less galvanizing choice. In most cases, doing so would be wise IMHO.
I am not clear on the precise connotations of the C word in Australian or UK English. It occurs to me that I frequently hear the word pu**sy used in the US in a derogatory way. Is the P word in American English used similarly to the C word in the Australian or UK vernacular?
This is post #45 and no one has referred back (except @ParallelLines, indirectly) to The Great C**T Debate of 2009? Short version: Ed Zotti himself formally banned the word, to much consternation and the formation of two splinter boards. I don’t recall if Ed ever lightened up his stance at all, but I don’t think so.
Personally, while I think @puzzlegal’s approach is logical, I find it demeaning that I have to be protected from that word because, as a woman, it might hurt my widdle feewings. Good grief, am I not tougher than that?
And if the C word is banned because it is misogynist, why isn’t “dick” banned for being mysandrist?
That being said, I don’t mind following a few rules designed to promote civility, particularly when they impose no particular hardship on me. The majority view (and, more importantly, Ed’s view) is that the C word is intolerable. Clearly, it’s the equivalent of the N word for some people. I accept and respect that (though I think my position in 2009 was different).
I’ve never encountered grown up people who feel the need to call others nasty names.
And I was raised by a Marine drill instructor. I’ve heard dirty words in two languages my whole life.
Because it doesn’t have the baggage associated with it. We’re not trying to overcome centuries of matriarchal oppression in western culture.
It’s the same reason why stereotypes against people of color are taboo while those against white folks aren’t. (Within reason anyway: straight up racism of any kind isn’t usually accepted. I saw someone modded in the Pit of all places for going overboard against white people and in the context it made sense.)
I agree if the board rules are such, and someone feels somehow constrained in their writing by not being able to use this word and some others, they should take it up with the people down at the Board office. I am not sure debating here, while interesting, is going to amount to anything.
The rule against slurs applies to all ethnic groups including whites. This is a change from past practice. The goal of the SDMB is to promote civil discussion. Slurs impede this goal.
Note, this is specifically about slurs, so I felt it would be helpful to mention considering the context of the thread and greater discussion. Nor did I think you weren’t aware considering the quote above, but not everyone has been re-reading the TOS recently.
I think you can state that it doesn’t bother you without demeaning people (both men and women) who are bothered by it.
No. “Pussy” in the US is very much comparing the person to a woman in an unfavorable sense.
“Cunt” in Australia might have originally had misogynistic overtones, but apparently it has lost those. “Pussy” in the US is still misogynistic even when used among buddies.
Oh, I absolutely wasn’t intending to demean anyone by stating how I react to censorship of the term. I would hope it was clear from my post that I respect other points of view.
And it’s only bad in the US when used as an antiquated general descriptor of Black people (in which case it’s even spelled differently). That’s not how that poster uses the term.
It’s used in the context of the link I gave above, and the poster in question identities that way themselves. I know exactly who Beck is referencing.
You’re welcome. It’s not something that’s very common or well-known in the US and to be honest, I probably wouldn’t be aware of it if it wasn’t for the poster in question.
